The Mullah is angry. Krekar, battle-Mullah from Kurdistan, Islamist fanatic and honorary grandfather of the Norwegian left, has reported female comedian Shabana Rehman to the police for .. tam-ta-dam .. lifting him up in the air during a debate. That's right, she went up on the stage, asked him if he could help her carry out a test, grabbed hold of him and held him in the air for a few seconds. Quite impressive, considering Krekar's size. This is what Rehman calls a fundamentalist test, on the basis that no man who is carried by a woman can truly be a fundamentalist. Krekar failed the test spectacularly. He got angry, demanded all the journalists in the audience to delete the photos, claimed that his honor had been violated - and has now reported Rehman to the police.

Who would have thought that Krekar's carefully manufactured image as a member of the Norwegian multicultural rainbow, a pious Muslim persecuted because he's different, would crack over his fear of being touched by a woman? I'm reminded of the Simpsons episode where Monty Burns runs for office, but fails because he can't eat the mutant three-eyed fish Marge has prepared for a televised dinner at their house. He has lost before the piece he spits out hits the floor. There's something similar happening here - or I hope so. Yes, it was crude and childish, but when all other ways of showing that Krekar isn't the cozy grandfather he claims to be has failed, when stories of abuse and fanaticism are shrugged off as American and PUK propaganda, this simple test proved .. well it didn't prove that he is an evil fanatic, or a terrorist. It just pricked a hole in his tolerance balloon.

A Norwegian is supposed to accept this sort of thing. You may not think it was funny, but you laugh it off, smile to the camera, and say a few meaningless words. End of story. Or not, if your culture's concept of honor depends on the avoidance of what Norwegians refer to as jentelus, the mystical and dangerous substance small boys fear will infect them if they're touched by a girl.

The police will likely drop this case, but I encourage Krekar to try a civil lawsuit. The more seriously he takes this, the less seriously Norwegians will take him. Most of them, anyway. It seems that beyond a certain level of a particular kind of education, a grown man who is afraid of jentelus no longer strikes you as ridiculous, but as an expression of an alien but legitimate cultural impulse. Kari Vogt at the University of Oslo claims that even a Norwegian would be offended by this, and that Rehman owes Krekar an apology. Actually, a Norwegian would just be puzzled. Huh? Why are you lifting me? Lars Gule at Norway's Humanist Association believes that "this is very, very serious for Krekar, and Rehman in particular should understand this". Of course it is, and that is the point - that for all Krekar's pretense at tolerance, he's still an extremist at heart. Author Henrik Hovland is a critic of Krekar, but says that in this case Rehman was just picking on him. Perhaps. This was a crude and childish way to test Krekar's tolerance. But damn it feels good to see this evil fanatic played for a fool for once.

Jentelus, huh? In the US, we call it "cooties." And only small boys take it seriously - adults smile tolerantly at the concept. Or they used to - in today's hypersenitive PC America, just mentioning cooties probably gets you suspended from school for hate speech.

Suspended, heh heh heh. Geddit?

Mr. Lars Gule may have good reason to be sympathetic to mullah Krekar. He is a convicted ex-terrorist, who was arrested in the 1970s on his way to Israel, with explosives in his backpack. He was only given a short sentence, though.

The comedienne looks rather sexy and endearing. Where's she from?

I think the stunt is funny and "up-lifting".

Kjell: Mr. Gule was actually more critical of Krekar than leftists often are. He several times compared his ideology to fascism, said it was extremely violent and even called Krekar "an enemy of democracy". After all, his organization DID publish the Norwegian translation of Ibn Warraq's "Why I am not a muslim".

For other discussion of this incident:

http://www.faithfreedom.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=851

http://www.jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/archives/001748.php

Fatwa in 3....2.....1....

So picking on an extremist isn't nice? Sounds like Norway has gone off the PC deep end with an anchor.

Too bad it can't extend the same courtesy to sentient cetaceans, who actually deserve it.

Who she is?
Shabana's web page is www.shabana.no

But do you also accept it as a social failing when the situation is reversed and adult women refuse contact with men?

Here in Melbourne we have women only funeral services, women only gyms, charity groups which will only aid women etc etc

All this is validated by the state, and accepted by the major political parties. Could other countries laugh at Westerners for this, as we laugh at them?

Oh, come on. Let's say there was a discussion about religion, in which a catholic priest is participating. Suddenly some female nitwit "went up on the stage, asked him if he can help her carry out a test, grabbed hold of him and held him in the air for a few seconds", and declared that he has failed the celibacy test, for a man who truly believes in celibacy cannot be carried by a woman.
Yea, yea, in your universe the priest wouldn't be angry, woudn't notice that they tried to mock and insult him, and that they tried to make him look like a clown.

I don't think anyone's denying that Ms. Rehman was mocking and insulting Krekar. It's just that most people here support mocking and insulting him as a pretty bad human being who's attempting to propogate ideas that most people here find repulsive.

Just what exactly is Krekar complaining about, anyway? I suspect there's no way for him to formulate his complaint that won't make most westerners despise him. Even those that would defend his right to offense would probably be looking down on him.

Jeez, what a pussy that Kreepy Krekar is!

And Shabana Rehman rocks!

But if she's Norwegian, shouldn't she spell it Sjabana?

No indigenous Pakistani is written with the Roman alphabet so adhering to English romanization rules in Norway seems .... odd.

Damn, Bjørn. I just wished I had thought of the term "jentelus" in this context.

Of course I had to write about this story as well!

My goodness, you've brought up a faded memory of "jentelus" from my childhood days in Finland, when I played with Swedish-speaking kids in the neighborhood. I never understood what "jentelus" meant, but it was something to be avoided in the playground... it usually morphed into a simple game of tag.

But yes, Bjorn, "jentelus" seems to be the game these fundamentalists still play. Great analogy!

Prehaps Islam can be debugged by having Shabana lift up Mullahs across the world? I would like to see her lift Shabana Abu Hamza next.

Franko

Incidentally, this morning's New York Times gave this story a prominent display, complete with pictures.

"Could other countries laugh at Westerners for this, as we laugh at them?"
Yes, definitely. The funniest part in this case is: Krekar actually went to the police. That says alot about Norway though. It must be a very safe country where police has no better things to do, no murders to solve, no thieves to catch, no traffic tickets to write. In the US, Krekar would have called his lawyer and sued Ms. Rehman for battery/assault. Of course, we would laugh at that too.

Bjorn, I think "crude and childish" is a bit Staerk. I don't see what was crude about it and comedy is always about contrast between (a) pretension and rules and (b) real thoughts and emotions and the unpredictable. Rehman's sally was an apt way to puncture the bubble of that insufferable ass. She asked him to participate in an unspecified test, to which he agreed. Then he exposes his idiotic beliefs by going ballistic at being touched by a woman. What better evidence of the gulf between men and women in his hypertophied islamic world? Krekar could have taken his cue from Pee Wee Herman and said, "That was so funny, I forgot to laugh!" and gone on to the next point of his spiel about how some unsuspecting western innocent needs to die, or some Norwegian law or custom needs to give way instantly upon demand of the Middle Eastern segment of the population currently enjoying the peace, security and sanity of one corner of filthy, degenerate Europe.

Honor takes many forms across the planet. Each tied into years of tribal belief. Those countries whose honor is not as easily offended have done best in the world market. Perhaps it's time for a shake up in the interpretation of Muslim beliefs.

If honour doesn't work in the world market it should be ditched? You're proposing a very crude version of Economic Man, IXLNXS.

Personally, I think it's legitimate to criticise the forms that honour takes in different countries: it's not always healthy. But a sense of honour in general is something to be admired. (And you know, it's part of our Western tradition too.)

It now appears that Krekar is considering withdrawing his police report (as per http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=225795 ). Sigh. The man might know his own good after all. With time, the public opinion is likely to forgive and forget.

I'll not defend Krekar's reaction to Shabana Rehman, as I found it totally ridiculous.

However, I will defend his "attack" on the journalist from TV2, the day he pressed charges against Shabana.

As it turns out, he did not attack due to pictures being taken of him. The journalist repeatedly took pictures of Krekars brother, who in no way is a public figure - and who repeatedly asked the journalist to please not include him in pictures.

The journalist ignored the request, even though it probably goes against "Vær varsom-plakaten" in Norway. Krekar lost his temper due to the journalist pestering his brother against his brothers will. He didn't throw any punches, but grabbed the camera from the journalist and handed the camera over to the police.

For those foreigners that may think this is a tad strange - in Norway it is considered bad for journalists to include people that do not want publicity - and hasn't done anything to warrant publicity, in photos, reports, and so forth. Krekar's brother has not in any way tried to become a public figure.

Can the man not demand respect and decency?

Seems my ideas of honor and respect are less severe than his, but had someone come along and trounced all over what I felt was my honor, thereby disrespecting me, I think I would be angered to say the least.

Viken, I don't know how you can claim that Krekar's brother is in no way a public figure. He has long been Krekar's spokesman, and has acted as his mouthpiece whenever the mullah himself was under arrest. Please also note that this excuse only appeared several days after the incident (presumably after Krekar had had time to get legal advice from his lawyer). The event was taped and the soundtrack played on Kanal 24 the day Krekar "confiscated" the journalist's camera. If he made any mention of his brother, I at could not hear it. Also, it is not and has never been common practise in Norwegian newspapers to extend protection of "bystanders" to include participants in public events.

she might be from pakistan and such girls in pakistan are called as kanjeri these girls are associated with dance parties where they are hired for thousand rupees.In other words such girls are providing services for benefirt of man-kind such as sexual massage with both vaginal and anal....along with hands....so if such a girl has become a comedian in norway (in exile) which offcourse a society of common grounds for such girls...its no surprise to see what she has done......her family background clearly points out her status

You asad are a dirty person. Probably Muslim, because only Muslims can defame their own women like you just did. How disgusting. You people are really, really primitive and obnoxius. God will destroy Islam soon, for such perverted people as you will be vomited from His mouth.

Well what else can you expect of a pious muslim that Mr. Krekar may be? After all islam is what muslims believe ( it to be )... ahem per my good friend Mr. Oeyvind's favorite quotation LOL...the perenniel multi-culturalist and Sultan of Apologias that he be ;).....so let's see...what are the defining tenets of Ysssshlam? ----> misogyny is pretty high on the list, male chauvinism , irrationality, superstition, bigotry , hate and violence...what else did i miss....oh do help me out someone LOL !!!

Let's see if i recall Mr. Krekar is a dues paying, 5x a day a-praying, Mekka facing kow-towing , die-hard islamist nicht wahr? Let's see , who are those people who engage in honor killing of their sisters, cousins, mother's , nieces and assorted other relatives of the female gender? Who are those people who engage in female circumcision? Who are those people who hides behind women and children and use them as human shields, who are those people who can divorce their wives by saying 'talaq, talaq, talaq' three times?...oh who just who are those wonderful civilized and god-fearing folks who can also engage in 'mutta' or temporary marriage of l day or 3 days or l month -- kind of a neat way to avoid adultery to slake their androgenous lust? Which sect or cult of humanity engages in pedophilia and exploitation of young females ..marrying them off to some horny, lusty degenerate old men?...who forms harem and cloister their women behind high walls and practises purdah and burqa and what not? Hmmmmm which Cult on planet earth is replete with trappings of gynecophobia? ...and has refined it into an art of religious piety?

Well........a certain denizen of norwegian blogistan had just quoted me :

Antiislamistar må gjerne hevda at Muhammed var pedofil. Det spelar inga rolle. Det som spelar ei rolle er kva muslimar trur (Anti-islamists can claim that Muhammed was a pedophile if they want too. It does not matter. What does matter is what Muslims believe - ahem translation from the horse's mouth )...ahem , ahem.... islam is what muslims believe ( it to be ). How true , how true....Islam is what Mullah Krekar believes ....being lifted up by a puny female is tantamount to assault and battery and a grievious insult to his religious sensitivities.I suppose Mr. Krekar did not learn his misogyny from his cultic Hero = Mr. Mo the founder of the cult of Yshlam? Oh well this should'nt play a role in my arguments, what matters is what muslim believes heh heh.

Sister Ayesha Nyanaponika Kim
Miss spesjialist in truly irrasjional adamikkk KKKults :)
إخصائيّ في الطّوائف الدّينيّة الخطيرة
金教授.... 危險宗教崇拜專家

Since you are not capable of quoting me correcty, Kim Sook-Im, I will be an arrogant fool and do it myself:

"Islam is a broad, pluralistic religion that deserves to be treated as such. That means that the threats from Wahhabism or bin Laden should not be overlooked, but it also means that we should not overlook the messages of peace and love found amongst other branches and other spokesmen and -women of the religion.

So often, Islam is treated like one enemy. In fact, those who fight for democracy, for human rights, against terrorism and for political pluralism, for the equality of sexes etc. has to fight at least three different opponents in the Muslim world. None of them are Islam, though it is impossible to study any of them without also studying Islam. Two of them is also closely connected to the Western world and to Western history. They are sometimes seen together, but are often fighting with each other, rather than being allies.

Our first opponent is obvious, it is militant Islamism of the kind that creates terrorism. This Islamism has very specific historical roots, both inside and outside of Islam, and also has sociological, economical and historical factors explaining it.

Its ideology is far from mainstream Islam, many Islamists are for instance inspired by the works of Qutb or Faraj (sometimes spelled Farag), the first reinterpreted several classical concepts of Islam, the second - an electrician from Cairo - even introduced a sixth pillar to the faith, holy war, claiming it to be the most important one. Still, it does find inspiration in earlier Islamic thinkers, like Ibn Taymiyya.

The second is Islamic conservatism. While this conservatism, much stronger in Islam than in Christianity, is to a very large degree an ally in the battle against the terrorists - seen as unorthodox blasphemes - and against the Islamists, concervative Islam does suppress women. Some places, concervatism even means female genital mutilation, an abhorable tradition. Other places, Islamic concervatism is hardly worse than its Christian counterpart, but for both gays and women - for instance - that can be more than bad enough. Yet other places, of course, Islamic conservatism is Wahhabi conservatism, for instance prohibiting music, and treating women like - to quote the Kuwaiti-born Muslim jurist Khaled Abou El Fadl, whom I recently interviewed - 'treated like dirt'.

The third opponent is the dictatorships of the Muslim world. Sadly, they are not few. Sadly, they are often not treated as opponents, and more often than not they are regarded as allies in the War on Terror - since these governments, too, fear the Islamist movements. With good reason, they are a threat to their power. Often this opponent is helped by, and even backed by the West. That is true for Saudi-Arabia. It was true for Iraq. It is true for Kuwait. It is true for Egypt.

Defeating the third enemy, the undemocratic regimes of the Muslim word, will help us defeating the other two as well. Did I say us? I could have said that it will help Muslim progressives do it. This is what no anti-Islamist has yet understood, in our fight against these fierce opponents - our allies are also Muslims.

Are there not Muslims amongst those fighting for democracy in for instance Iran? Are there not Muslims amongst those who fight for womens rights in the Muslim world? Will you not find Muslims amongst those fighting terrorism and hatred in the name of God?

If Islam is what Muslims believe, the Islam of Osama bin Laden is Islam. But so is the Islam of his opponents. Thus, Islam is a religion of war, a religion of peace, and - indeed - a religion of both".

So, is Krekar a representative of misogynist Islam? Definitely. Does that make all Islam misogynist? Definitely not.

I would also appreciate it if you discussed with me on one thread instead of dancing from thread to thread with personal attacks and repetitive arguments.

Oh Salaams and shaloms Dearest Oeyvind,

but i'm not attackkking you personally in any way, i'm just critiquing Oeyvindism...after all Oeyvindism is what Oeyvindians believe !

Sister Ayesha N. Kim
Anti-Oeyvindist ;)

P.s. in all fairness to you that was a nice post above...but all those 'fair-minded' and rational muslims are in the minority and are far and few in between..they are only nominally muslim, fundamentally they are idealists .

Kim Sook-Im: but i'm not attackkking you personally in any way, i'm just critiquing Oeyvindism...after all Oeyvindism is what Oeyvindians believe !

The criticism may not be personal as such, but your contempt for Øyvind got personal a long time ago. Why else would you start mocking him in a long dead thread he hasn't even written in? It's just plain embarassing to watch. I figure you don't know too many people who strongly disagree with you, since you're so desperate for Øyvind's attention, but that's your problem, not his. Stop it.

Bjørn, first you criticise Kim for getting personal in regards of Øyvind, and then you get personal against her. Why this hypocrisy?

I’ve long time ago noticed your personal affection towards Øyvind, but not commented on it. Personally I think he needs some mocking on his attitudes. Their far to common among lefties.

nilsr:

What exactly are my opinions in this area that are far too common amongst lefties. Is it that Islam is a broad, pluralistic religion that deserves to be treated as such?

Is it the idea that both dictatorships in the Muslim world, Islamic conservatism and radical Islamism are opponents, although they are different opponents?

Please indulge me.

Øyvind

Nils: Bjørn, first you criticise Kim for getting personal in regards of Øyvind, and then you get personal against her. Why this hypocrisy?

I own the place, I set the rules. None of those rules are about universal fairness, only about making this a place where good discussions can take place. If somebody thinks they have the right to begin every comment with "I wonder what our good friend Mr Øyvind the Sultan of apologists thinks about this LOL!!" I think they're wrong, and I'm the one who counts.

But that's as far as I intend to discuss this. The rules here - and my interpretations, (including the hypocritical ones) - are take it or leave it. If anyone has opinions they must share with me, do it in mail.

Øyvind, your classification of theoretical directions in Islam is rather uninteresting as long as they don’t seem to have any practical implications. Don’t see much of your claimed pluralism in the public debate when the inhumane practices of this religion comes to question. Rather, it’s tempting to assume they don’t exist.

What I meant with attitudes, common among lefties, is your appeasement to mentioned inhuman practices and turning a blind eye to injustice to Jews, women, homosexuals and the problems our culture faces regarding Muslim immigration and the policy of multiculturalism. I consider you a apologist and propagandist. Hiding behind clever rhetoric’s can’t conceal that.

"What I meant with attitudes, common among lefties, is your appeasement to mentioned inhuman practices and turning a blind eye to injustice to Jews, women, homosexuals and the problems our culture faces regarding Muslim immigration and the policy of multiculturalism".

You should probably try reading my reply (or rather; my numerous replies) to Kim Sook-Im once more, and start arguing against me, and not against whatever dreamy picture you have of what stupid leftists must think (they are stupid leftists after all).

Best regards.

Bjoern,

I'm surprised that you characterize my sweet natured banter with Øyvind as an attempt to mock him. Low level sour-sweet sarcasm maybe, but 'Mocking'. I think that would be an overextension of the definition of 'Mock'. After-all my most honorable and respected friend Monsieur Oeyvind is a big boy and surely can take a jab or two of sour-sweet and occasionally acrid banter from his bloggist counter-part eh?

Additionally even my most acrid sarcasm does not harbor on profanity which occasionally slips through your blog - yet you do not chastise them.I'm trying to recall that Dude that recently cursed you out and was using 4 letter words and what not and yet your response was rather mute hmmm? Others do directly and coarsely reproach Oeyvind at times...and yet you do not chastise them.

Oeyvind has 'mocked ' me at times calling me Miss Specialist etc. What about your perenniel islamoid Mr. Ex christian - he called me and others mindless and hateful islamophobes even though we speak the truth ...nothing but the tooth...!
I hope you are not attempting to silent dissent - democracy is your by-word - n'est-ce-pas?

Sister Ayyyy - sha Nyanaponika Kim
sssslightly ssssslighted damsel in distresssss

p.s. also Nils may i use your linguistic expertise to expose Mr. Oeyvind's nit-picking regarding the translation of his article in the Dilettant site...i'll come back to that later - tot straaks

Aisha N. Kim

Kim Sook-Im: I'm trying to recall that Dude that recently cursed you out and was using 4 letter words and what not and yet your response was rather mute hmmm?

You can say pretty much anything to me and get away with it. It's what you say to everyone else I care about. And just because I don't notice everything doesn't mean anything goes. Everyone says I'm a hypocrite when I remind them of the rules. Maybe they're right, but they still don't get to break them. Just stop the personal focus.

the islamoid troll Asad wrote:

asad | 2004-05-26 14:46 | Link
she might be from pakistan and such girls in pakistan are called as kanjeri these girls are associated with dance parties where they are hired for thousand rupees.In other words such girls are providing services for benefirt of man-kind such as sexual massage with both vaginal and anal....along with hands....so if such a girl has become a comedian in norway (in exile) which offcourse a society of common grounds for such girls..

So you are belittling the norms and mores of Norway...you sick perverted excuse of a creature...let me tell you this buster...it is in Norway where Ms Rehman is able to develop her full potential as a female not in your backward village in Porkistan. You have just insulted all womenkind of the world...may your mother slap the shit out of you.May the Goddess Saraswati turn you into an inanimate object - a condom will do for starters.

...and the next time you use the services of a paid female sex-worker when you are in the west ( a lot of islamoid males do that you know, they don't get none at home, so that get it in the land of the infidels....), think about hacking off that thingy between your leg per the injunction of the Quran!

Princess White Lotus
Zen at War
危險宗教崇拜專家

Bjoern,

It's not like i'm focusing on Oeyvind...he writes a lot of hooey you know ...and someone with profound knowledge of the Cult of ysshlam has to set the records straight for him.

He does pontificate endlessly on the relative harmlessness of Yssshlam in all his english and norwegian sites...don't you think a counter critique is essential to check the proliferation of falsehood? He has set himself up as a 'specialist' in Islam and yet feels offended when denominated as such!

It's not that i am focusing on him or craving his 'attention'...it's just the thing he writes invites a fair and resounding critique...ask Susan and Nils and Ali Dashti if i am exagerating? After all this is an open forum which encourages dissent ..no? Or has the policy changed? I think all criticism should be taken with a pinch of salt and felt as a slight on a personal level. My style of writing is just colorful..that's all .......i'm not your traditional staid confucianist.

Himmel auf der Erde...you don't want false propaganda to be disseminated in Vikingdom do you? :)

Sister Aisha N. Kim
Valkyrie at large

ooops..sorry ..correction:

...pinch of salt and NOT FELT AS A SLIGHT ON A PERSONAL LEVEL....

aisha n. kim

hi,you not muslim girl .you have norwy girl or unlike girl u my eyes ok you have bad rool on world news or sexy pic in news pepar .there you bad and unlike girl

Yo...arooj alias kuk-arooj,

So whadya mean i'm not muslim girl?
so if i'm infidel girl it's o.k. to have sexy pitchars in the news papar?...that's all you dritt-head think about like, sex and female genitalias preoccupy your warped mind huuuh?

Yeeeah , i'm a bad and unlike girl..

Oh..stikk og heng deg !

Ameena Kim
Nice faux-muslim girl
from Baluchistan ;)

البنت الجميلة من بالتشيستان
友好和美麗的baluchistan 女孩

why is it that nobody cares bout krekar's feelings being hurt... but cares bout some woman's "test" on finding the fundamintalist muslims...

tell me something... how many men SERIOUSLY like being left by a woman..?
be honest... doesn't that somehow hurt their image/selfesteem?

doesn't it somehow ruin the idea of them being "manly" and macho type of person...?

Asad

and kim

Asad no muslim man would eva talk da way you did... so ya betta stop pretending..

and kim wot r ya trying to prove lady..?

Trackback URL: /cgi-bin/mt/mt-tb.cgi/683

Thief's Den: Mullah Krekar's Got a Squeeze Box, April 30, 2004 07:07 PM

Those Mullahs just have no sense of humor!Muslim terrorist suspect loses temper after female comedian lifts him up Associated Press Apr. 30, 2004 07:00 AM OSLO, Norway - The founder of suspected terror group Ansar al-Islam, normally cool under pressure...

Solomonia: Who are you who are so wise in the ways of science?, April 30, 2004 10:53 PM

Arthur? No. Bedevere? No again. Shabana Rehman, actually. Bjørn Stærk has the story of this female Norwegian comedian who seems to have discovered a straightforward way of "taking the measure" of Muslim extremists and finding the limits of their...

Tim Worstall: Words we Need in English, May 2, 2004 10:41 AM

Bjorn Staerk writes about a mullah who couldn't take a joke. Go read it, very amusing. One thing that leapt out at me was a word that Norwegians use and for which we have do direct translation in English, not

Tim Worstall: Words we Need in English, May 2, 2004 02:07 PM

Bjorn Staerk writes about a mullah who couldn't take a joke. Go read it, very amusing. One thing that leapt out at me was a word that Norwegians use and for which we have no direct translation in English, not

Sebastian Holsclaw: Mullah Lifting, May 5, 2004 09:08 AM

Via the ever fascinating Bjørn Stærk I find a report of the latest way to expose a fundamentalist mullah who is posing as a moderate. You simply have him lifted into the air by a woman and watch the screaming...

Tim Worstall: More Words We Need in English, May 29, 2004 11:35 AM

Following on from Bjorn's post and my comments on it a further revelation comes via this week's Economist: May should be a happy month for Norwegians. Warmer weather allows for the first utepils, or beers drunk outside. The word itself

Spicedsass: Islama-palooza? Well, Why Not?, July 21, 2004 11:27 PM

"Last year Rehman was awarded a freedom of expression prize by a Norwegian foundation...